Requiem
by yellow 14
Summary: A funeral mass is held for someone murdered years after the final battle. Written for HedwigBlack's weekly challenge


Disclaimer: Don't own and never will.

AN: Written for HedwigBlack's Weekly Challenge.

"Dearly beloved, we gather here to say our goodbyes," the Minister said in a solem voice and Ron felt his eyes begin to water once more. He's done a LOT of crying lately, far too much in his opinion, but somehow the tears never seem to stop.

"Here she lies, no one knew her worth," the Minister continued and Ron almost nodded in agreement. It was amazing how much he had taken for granted. The war was supposed to be over, nobody else was supposed to have been killed by the Death Eaters now that Voldemort had fallen for good and their numbers had been cut down so drastically. And yet, here he was burying the girl who had been there for him throughout all his years at Hogwarts. He had never realised how much she meant to him until it was almost too late

"The late great daughter of Gryffindor house we lay her to rest on these nights when we celebrate the birth of a better world-"

"One she helped create," Ron murmured as he remembered how tirelessly she had worked to reform the Ministry, from elf-rights to passing new laws and preparing a new Hogwarts curriculum and a million other things. It was almost as if she was aware that her time was limited and she was determined to do as much good as she could before she was killed.

To his left, a delegation of house-elves stood tall and proud and Ron allowed himself a small smile. House-elves regarded her as a saviour of sorts, the one who had made their lives better, had actually made people see them as people and not as creatures without feelings or emotions. On the other side, the goblin delegation were standing with gold staffs in the air as they saluted the one who had organised the great exchange. Goblin children were learning wand magic at Hogwarts thanks to her and witches and wizards were learning the secrets of goblin metalworking, an achievement many said was impossible in so short a period of time.

But she had laughed at them and had managed in a few short years to begin the process of exchanging knowledge that many thought would never come. It wasn't yet complete and Merlin knew there were plenty of headaches to still work through, but it was a START and that was what mattered.

Harry was there as well of course, brooding and morose as though the weight of the wizarding world was on his shoulders once more. Nobody blamed Harry for her death, but still he blamed himself, if nothing else because she was killed slowly and painfully and she still refused to denounce him even until death.

Behind him, Ron could hear her mother sobbing into her fathers arm and he made a mental note to try and talk to them after the funeral. Whatever pain he was feeling was no doubt nothing compared to what they were feeling. No parent should have to outlive their child, a fate he wouldn't wish on his worse enemy.

Harry stood up on the stand, a simple wooden affair in the open space of the graveyard and said his piece. The same piece he'd worked on with Ron, determined to capture their friends heart and spirit. An impossible task, they had both agreed, but one they tried. As Harry stepped down, Ron stood up and walked up to the stand and cleared his throat.

"We stand assembled here to remember the life of an amazing person. A woman who helped defeat the most fearsome dark wizard of our age, who changed the wizarding world in ways that nobody even thought possible," Ron paused for a moment as he concentrated on not breaking down in tears. "A woman who many accused of having a devotion to causing a commotion. Well she certainly did that," he paused and wiped a tear from his eye. "I used to joke with her that if Lord Voldemort had known just how determined she could be, he would have been terrified."

"Hermione may have changed the world and spun it on its head and I'm sure that the history books will remember her for her pioneering work, but I will always remember as the girl who was an annoying know-it-all. I should, I used to call her that at least twice a week."

There was a few chuckles from the audience and Ron continued. "I will always remember the girl who was always willing to help us with our homework. I'll always remember as the girl who was always there for us when we needed her, even when she was doing too many classes in her third year, she was there for us, for her friends. And that is how I will remember her. Not as some figure in a history book, a distant idol without a face, but as the greatest friend and greatest girlfriend any man could ever ask for. That's how I'll remember Hermione Granger."

There was a momentary silence, before a sudden wave of applause emerged from the crowd.


End file.
